Return to Eden
by waffleman1314
Summary: Eden fell into the grasp of the dark warrior Legion thousands of years ago. Now, two brothers must return to Eden to retake her. They are the lost heirs, and they are facing a challenge not made for the weak.
1. Prologue: The Fall of Eden

**New story- one I couldn't NOT write. It kept popping up and dreams. I had to write it down. Tell me what you think! -AJ ThaPlatypus**

* * *

In a dimension not too far from our own lies the magical realm of Eden. When Eden first came into existence, two brothers rose to its thrones. The eldest brother was Aerion, a wielder of Light Energy. The younger was Plutarus, a wielder of Dark Energy. Together, with the aid of the eagle Elendar, they ruled justly over Eden.

But Eden was not strong enough to last. A dark warrior by the name of Legion came as silently as a thief in the night…

…

"Pull back! Pull back!"

"Brother, Elendar has returned with news of Legion's hosts!" a panicked Plutarus exclaimed, holding his arm out for the bird to land. He pulled tight on his horse's reins and locked eyes with the man. Aerion frowned and turned to face the eagle. Plutarus, knowing he alone could communicate with the fowl, read his brother's demand almost instantly. "He says that they mass to hundreds of thousands!"

"And our numbers?" Aerion asked curtly.

"Don't be a fool, brother," Plutarus replied, his eyes darkening. "We have no such force. Flight is our only option."

"And you, Plutarus, should not be a coward!" Aerion exclaimed. A few surrounding soldiers cast the kings a wary glance. The blond-haired, blue-eyed king took a deep breath and lowered his voice. "The people of Eden need not lose faith in their kings, Plutarus. They already are filled with fear."

Plutarus looked out over the once beautiful plains they were fighting on. What was once lush, green fields spotted with the homes of their subjects was now a desolate wasteland, coated in the fresh blood of Eden's martyrs. A pang of guilt hit his square in the chest. How could they have been so blind to Legion's destructive power?

"Am I a coward, or am I considering the truth?"

"Brother!" Aerion hissed. He glanced quickly at the battlefield, and then his eyes flitted back to Plutarus. "How dare you say such!"

"Look around you again!" Plutarus cried, thrusting his arms out wide. His red hair whipped about his forehead in the wind. "The bodies of our subjects are falling like a torrent of rain! If we do not flee now, our people will be annihilated. Eden must surrender!"

"Someone must fight!" Aerion spat. Plutarus considered this for a moment.

"Then send out the women and children," he urged his brother. "Send them as far away from Eden as possible. Those who remain behind will fight instead of surrender."

"Go!" Aerion ordered, pointing in the direction of their capital, Dakara. He slipped off his green signet ring and forced it into Plutarus' left hand. "Give our rings to our wives and children. Our line must not be lost. If Eden is taken today, then perhaps it shall be retaken by our descendants."

"Aye," Plutarus nodded. Aerion grasped his hand and forced a smile.

"Be of good luck," he told him. "And may you succeed. For Eden!"

"For Eden!" Plutarus shouted. He tugged on the reins and wheeled his steed in the direction of Dakara. Soldiers around him darted out of his way, silently understanding that he was off to perform an important task.

It was a half-day's ride to Dakara, but Plutarus stopped only when he arrived on the steps of his castle. He called the entire city to council and ordered that everyone must evacuate through a portal that he would create for them. The portal was shortly afterwards created in the town square. He stood at the entrance of the castle and watched as his panicked people left Eden behind. A hand lighted on his shoulder.

"Lord Plutarus, Elaina will not come!" a woman's soft voice said. He turned to look at his brother's wife with a grim expression.

"Karina, are the children ready?" he asked, trying to avoid such a touchy subject. She nodded.

"Yes, my children will enter by my side, as will your wife, if I can convince her to come," Karina said quietly. Plutarus waved for her to go on and walked into the hall where his wife was sitting. He sat beside her and drew her in close.

"You have to go," he said, his voice choking up a bit. "I cannot let you stay in Eden to die."

"What if…if I never see you again?" she said, the hurt in her voice evident. She pressed one hand to her abdomen and brushed away a tear. "You might never meet him…or her…"

"I have to stay and fight," Plutarus said, guilt swelling up in his chest. He lowered his hand to meet hers and gently stroked her slightly swollen belly with his thumb. "It pains me to have to send you away, but I know that you both have a better chance of living if you leave."

"Plutarus-"

"Don't, Elaina," he shook his head. He pulled his red signet ring off and tucked it between her hand and her stomach. She pressed her free hand to her mouth and did her best to mask her sobs. "Whatever happens, the line must go on…I gave Aerion's ring to Karina. We send with you the blessing of Eden in hopes that the nation will rise again."

"Plutarus, don't force me to leave you!" Elaina cried, wrapping her arms around her husband. She buried her face in his chest. "I cannot bear to live a life without you!"

"But you must!" Plutarus told her, pulling her away and locking his eyes with hers. Each could see the other's pain and tears. Slowly, Plutarus took his left hand and placed it on her chin so that she couldn't avert her gaze. "You are a queen of Eden- you must do your nation right and carry our heir away from this danger. The line cannot be broken- only when a wielder of Light and a wielder of Dark Energy are born can the throne be reclaimed. To keep the balance of Eden. To bring our nation back."

"So the nation is lost, then?" Elaina murmured.

"Only for now," Plutarus said, placing as much hope as he could into that statement. He placed one hand on her belly and the other on her cheek. "Hope lies in our children. Remember that. Our descendants must return to Eden."

Both leaned in close to one another. Their lips locked together in a farewell embrace. It was the last time those lips would ever touch. Plutarus had to watch with tears filling his eyes as his significant other, his true love, and his entire world walked through the portal beside her sister-in-law.

He would never see them again. He would never know their fate. He would never know his own child. But worst of all, he would never know if they could return.

With a heavy heart, he used all of the Energy left in himself to close up the portal. In a matter of hours, the bright city of Dakara was taken by Legion and his army. The two kings were forced into their own throne room and forced to their knees. Two of Legion's best men stood at each of their necks as they were asked to renounce their lordship over Eden. They both refused. The order was given to kill the kings, and those ever-famous words were voiced.

"Any last words?" Legion asked. The answer was not one he expected.

"They will return to Eden," Plutarus said proudly. "And they shall avenge her."

* * *

**So?**


	2. Dinner with the Family

**Yes...chapter two exists. -AJ **

* * *

I watched as she pulled on a thick, pink sweater dress and couldn't help but stare. As she adjusted it, her jet black hair fell down to the middle of her back, swaying with every little move she made. The dress perfectly outlined her curved hips and her small shoulders. Her white skin was accented by the yellow light of the lamp in the corner, and her brown eyes were splashed with a slight bit of the glare. She turned to face me and smiled.

"So, what'cha think?" she asked, tilting her head to the side.

"Stunning, as usual," I grinned. She walked over to me and playfully slapped my arm. "What? It's beautiful. You're beautiful. Together, you're super beautiful. Not that you need anything to make you more beautiful- you're the most beautiful thing on planet Earth."

"Phineas!" she laughed.

"Isabella!" I teased, mocking her voice ever so slightly. I wrapped my arms around her and spun the both of us onto our bed. We'd been married for a year and three weeks, and every day seemed to get better. Sure, we were young- us both being twenty-one years of age, and myself having a birthday only a month before her- but it was well worth it.

"I thought we had somewhere to be?" she giggled, giving me a quick peck on the cheek and hopping back up off of the bed. She snatched up her purse and batted her eyes at me. "Or have you forgotten so quickly that we're off to dinner at your parents' house?"

"How easy can it be for a guy to remember anything when he's staring at pure hotness?" I said smugly. Isabella rolled her eyes and beckoned for me to hurry up. "Okay, okay! Just let me find a shirt and we'll get going."

I ambled over to our dresser and pulled out one of my signature orange and off-white striped tees. Slipping it over my triangular head, I nearly tripped over my own feet as I headed for the door. I took a last minute look in the mirror to make sure my red hair wasn't looking disheveled and made my way over to Isabella. She tossed me the car keys.

"Ready?" she asked.

"You bet'cha!" I nodded.

We headed out to our tiny, red used car and slipped into the front seats. My mirrors were already set, so I simply pulled on my seatbelt and backed out into the street. The ride over to my parents' house wasn't too long; at most, it was around a twenty minute drive. Once we arrived, I pulled into their drive and parked next to the blue pick-up truck that I knew to belong to my stepbrother.

"Hey, Ferb beat us!" I laughed. "He must have gotten off of work early."

"Is your sister coming?" Isabella said, pointing a thumb outside of the window. "With Jeremy and Amanda?"

"I think so," I frowned. I pulled the key out of the ignition and unbuckled my seatbelt. Headlights down the street caught my attention, and I instantly could make out the car's make and model. It was an old Neblington Nymph that Ferb, my stepbrother, and I had restored for Candace when we were kids. Isabella laughed, instantly letting me know that I was subconsciously smiling. "See? They're here."

I hopped out of the car and waited for them to park. As soon as the car cut off, the back left door swung open to reveal Amanda, my four-year-old niece. A huge grin was spread across her face and her light red hair bounced around her cheeks gleefully. She dashed out of the car and leapt up into my arms. I picked her up and hugged her tightly.

"Uncle Phineas!" she squealed.

"Hey, squirt!" I laughed. "How are you?"

Amanda looked just like her mother, it was unreal. Candace stepped out of the car and walked over to join us. Her husband Jeremy fiddled around in the backseat with something for a moment before also coming to join us. I shared a long hug with my older sister and shook hands with Jeremy.

"How've you guys been?" Candace asked, ruffling my hair. "It's been at least a month since we last saw you guys."

"Second honeymoon," I joked, pulling Isabella into my side for a quick kiss.

"Oh, yeah, your anniversary was a couple weeks ago!" Jeremy smiled. "Good thing we brought some pie."

"Pie sounds a-mazing!" I told him.

"Are you guys coming inside?" an ever-familiar British accent called. We all turned around to see Ferb standing in the house's open doorway. His green hair was combed to the right just for dinner tonight. I ran to greet him, still holding Amanda in my arms. Shifting her to my left side, I reached out and gave Ferb a big hug. He returned the hug and gave Amanda a kiss on the cheek.

"Where are Mom and Dad?" I asked.

"They're in the kitchen," Ferb replied, sharing hugs with Isabella and Candace. He and Jeremy shook hands.

"Oh, no we're not!" my mom said, exiting the door and running towards me with her arms out. I set Amanda down and embraced her. We pulled back, but she kept ahold of my arms and looked me in the eyes. "You look more and more like your father every day, you know that?"

I laughed and pulled her in for a second hug, "You say that every time you see me."

"Well, it's true," she smiled. My dad had died when I was three. She and Ferb's dad, Lawrence, had married when I was five. It was true that Lawrence was the only father I'd ever known, but hearing anything about my real dad would always be special to me. "Oh, it's just so nice to have the whole family here!"

"Would anyone like hors d'oeuvres?" Dad called from inside the house.

"Yes, yes, do come inside!" Mom said. She started herding everyone in the door, hugging and kissing everyone at least a dozen times before they entered the living area. We all sat down on the couch or in chairs. Amanda pulled out a few of her toys that stayed at my parents' house and busied herself with them on the floor. Dad brought out a platter of small appetizers and passed the plate around the room.

"So, how was the trip, Phineas?" Candace asked, starting up the pre-dinner conversation.

"Martinique was beautiful," I told them. "Aside from it being a business trip, vacationing after work with Isabella on the beach was more than I could have ever asked for. It's a lot warmer down there, but it actually felt rather perfect."

"That sounds awesome," Jeremy grinned. "I've been trying to think of a good vacationing spot for the three of us."

"I totally recommend Martinique," I chuckled.

"Same here," Isabella nodded. "The sugar-soft sand, the brilliant blue water, and all of the local culture- it's amazing. And the beach is always a fun place for kids. Amanda would enjoy herself thoroughly."

"How do you know so much about kids?" Candace joked playfully. "You haven't got any yet."

"Yet?" I blinked.

"Phineas, don't tell me you've never considered having kids?" Ferb raised his brow. I swallowed hard and cast a nervous glance at Isabella.

"Um," I said slowly. "Don't you…don't you think it's a tad bit…early…to be thinking about kids?"

Isabella seemed to have a similar look of surprise on her face, but I knew without a doubt she wasn't feeling the same as me on the subject. I saw her right hand rest on her stomach and her eyes flit downwards. In my head, I was hoping she wouldn't start to argue with me about the topic. Earlier this week, when she'd brought up the idea of having kids in the near future, I'd instantly diverted the conversation in order to avoid the topic. Now I was being plunged face-forward into it.

"Honestly, Phineas, even if you don't have kids soon, I'm pretty sure you've considered it," Candace tossed in. Jeremy and Ferb nodded in agreement. "Haven't you ever envisioned your kids coming to play with their cousins?"

"Cousin," I said, pointing to Amanda.

"Phineas, be realistic, you know I want two kids," Candace laughed. "Besides, don't leave Ferb out of this, he'll probably have kids when he's married."

"Candace, perhaps you should be realistic," Ferb cut in. "Phineas already has a kid."

"Perry does not count," I said, trying hard to resist the urge to laugh. Everyone else joined in the laughter. It was hard to imagine my pet platypus as a kid. He was getting to the age where all he really did was eat and sleep. "He's too old to be playful like a kid."

"How's he looking?" Ferb asked.

"You can stop by and say hey to him later if you like," Isabella offered. Ferb smiled at this. We'd adopted Perry together just after our parents had gotten married. When we grew up and split ways, Ferb told me he'd rather me have Perry, since the platypus had pretty much deemed me 'his human.' That and no pets were allowed in his apartment. "He really enjoyed Martinique, but I think he's not been feeling too well as of late."

"Oh?" he frowned. "Is he sick?"

"Nah, I think it's his weight, actually," I said, crossing one ankle over my knee. "He's not as active as he used to be, so he's been putting on quite a bit of weight."

"Have you considered giving the little meat brick a cut in food?" Candace suggested. "Humans diet, why can't he?'

"Yeah, but with animals, they learn to expect food at a certain time and in certain quantities, etc.," I told her. "He'd think we were treating him wrong if we didn't do what we've been doing since we were kids."

"You're still feeding him the same amount of food that we fed him when we were kids?" Ferb chuckled. "I can imagine why he's gaining weight, then."

"How much is that again…?" Candace raised one eyebrow curiously.

"He gets two cans of platypus food a day," I said, holding up my fingers for emphasis. "One for breakfast and one for dinner."

"Not to mention you give him burnt baked goods…" Isabella rolled her eyes.

"Oh, he picked that habit up from me," Mom giggled. "Sorry."

"Speaking of habits Phineas has picked up," Isabella leaned forward a little. "He's been trying to use our umbrellas as swords a lot lately. I asked him what he was doing, and he always replies that he just feels the need to learn swordplay."

"It just feels natural, that's all," I said quickly, feeling the blood rush to my cheeks. Mom looked as if she were about to comment, but Dad walked back in with a small cowbell and rang it happily for all of us.

"Dinner's served!" he said with a smile. We all stood up and filed into the dining room for dinner. I was glad to be out of that conversation for a little while, especially since random attempts at swordplay weren't the only odd things that had been happening lately. I'd been having the same eerie dream for about three months, sleep had been difficult outside of dreaming, and Perry had started sleeping between Isabella and me instead of to my side where he usually slept. I forced those thoughts to the back of my head, hoping dinner would divert that conversation altogether.

At first, it did. Dad had grilled some steaks, Mom had baked fresh dinner rolls and tossed a salad, Candace and Jeremy brought pie, Ferb had fixed mashed sweet potatoes with marshmallow and cinnamon, and Isabella and I had brought home made iced tea. We passed everything around, filling up our plates until there wasn't an inch of space left on them. Everything tasted wonderful.

"So, Phineas," Mom said after the meal when we were all sitting back in the living area eating pie. "About that habit you've picked up…"

"Mom, it's nothing," I blushed.

"Phineas I need you to be completely honest with me," Mom said, her voice getting a little stern. "Have you been dreaming about a failing nation lately?"

"I…wait, what?" I blinked.

"Phineas," Mom said. "It's a nation that's being invaded by-"

"-by Legion," Ferb and I said at the same time. We turned and blinked at one another. He kept his mouth shut. "The two kings…they always die at the end…saying that-"

"-Eden shall be avenged," Ferb finished for me.

"How are we having the same dream?" I frowned. We looked at our parents, who were sharing a very grave expression. I sat forward and looked between them expectantly. "Is…is something wrong, Mom?"

"Dad?" Ferb asked.

"Boys, Candace- can you three have us meet at Phineas' house tomorrow before lunch?" Mom requested.

"Yeah, I guess," I nodded. "We've got nothing planned. But, why at my house?"

"Because we need Perry for this explanation," Mom said quietly. She looked down at her knees. "I was hoping this wouldn't happen to you two. But, what must happen…"

"Must happen," Dad said.

"I don't understand," I shook my head. "Is something wrong?"

"Phineas, everything has to be explained tomorrow, okay, sweetie?" Mom told me. "For now, just go home and enjoy the rest of the evening with Isabella."

It was an odd note to end our family time with. Mom and Dad hugged us all, we hugged each other, and then we buckled up to get ready to leave. Ferb told me he was going to take up Isabella's offer and stop by tonight. I was fine with that. Besides; we'd need to have some time alone as brothers to discuss this topic alone. We probably should have shared earlier that we'd been having these dreams.

The ride home was quiet. I noticed that Isabella's mind was still several topics away, as she kept pressing her hand to her stomach. My hope was that she wouldn't grief me about my reaction. As it was, my mind was already too mottled with confusion and chaos.

* * *

**Mm-hmm...**


	3. A Quick Visit

**And this is two not that one... -AJ **

* * *

I unlocked the house door and let Ferb and Isabella inside quickly. Isabella did the honors of turning on the lights in the living room. We had Ferb sit down while I went to search for Perry. I headed straight for my bedroom and looked in the sheets. Sure enough, Perry was stretched out over a pillow, his belly facing the ceiling. I walked over and scratched his stomach a little. His eyes flitted open.

"Hey, buddy, someone's here to see you," I laughed. He yawned and stretched his little legs out. The platypus made no other attempts to move. I picked him up and held him to my chest. "Okay, lazy boy."

I took him into the living room and plopped down on the sofa next to Ferb. My brother reached a hand out and scratched Perry on the head, smiling as he did so. The platypus wiggled out of my hold and lay down on Ferb's lap.

"Whoa, Phineas was right when he said you were putting on a little weight," he laughed, stroking Perry's stomach. "How much does he weigh?"

"The vet last weighed him in at eight point two pounds," I raised my eyebrows a little and dropped them back down. "But he's put on more since then."

"He weighs over eight pounds, Phineas?" Ferb frowned. "Their typical maximum healthy weight is-"

"Yes, yes, I know- just a little over five pounds," I told him, putting my hands up defensively. Perry let out what seemed to be a defiant growl. I shook my head, telling myself that he was _just a platypus_. They don't do much. "I just don't want to throw off his eating schedule."

"How about walking him?" Ferb smiled a little. He picked Perry up from under his front two legs and resituated the platypus in his lap. "He could really use a way to burn some calories."

"Yeah, he could," I laughed, rubbing Perry's belly. "His stomach practically drags the ground when he's walking."

"You have to admit, though, he's pretty darn cute when he walks," Isabella giggled, kneeling down and giving Perry a kiss. She stroked his side and smiled at him. "Who's a good boy, hmm?"

"Gurururur…" came Perry's reply.

"On a different note, Phineas," Ferb said slowly. "Were you joking earlier about the whole kids thing?"

"Ferb, can we not-" I started, but then Isabella jumped in to help him.

"He avoided the topic in Martinique, too!" she exclaimed, sounding a little more exasperated than usual. Ferb gave her a curious look. "I was just talking about our future…and when I mentioned having kids he just diverted the topic altogether."

"Don't you want kids, Phineas?" Ferb blinked at me.

I swallowed hard, "I…I don't know."

"You don't know?" Isabella said, almost sounding slightly offended at the remark.

"It's not that I think it's a _bad_ idea to have kids, it's just; I'm not ready for it," I explained. Both gave me a blank stare. "Look, I know it sounds silly, but I don't think I'm ready to be a father. I mean, it's not like it's gonna happen anytime soon, but…"

"Uh…" Isabella said softly.

"I know, Phineas, but you're making it out like having kids is something you don't want to do," Ferb said quickly. "It's okay to talk about a future thing in the present casually. Just because you're not ready now doesn't mean that you won't be ready in the future."

"I guess that makes sense," I sighed.

"Of course it makes sense," Ferb reassured me. He placed one hand on my shoulder. "I said it."

"Ha, ha," I said poking him in the side. He flinched a little, but in turn poked me back.

"Guys, can we not-" Isabella started, but she was already too late. The poke war had begun. Ferb and I began to throw pokes at every possible angle we could think of without making things awkward. That quickly escalated from poking to flat out wrestling. Isabella wasn't too thrilled that we were acting like ten-year-olds, and Perry was highly upset that we'd stop paying him mind.

"Give it up, Phineas, we both know I'm the stronger one," Ferb told me, flipping me over and pinning me to the floor.

"Never!" I shouted. I struggled to pull him off of me, but it was no use. He was, after all, the stronger one.

"Be rational, Phineas," Ferb chuckled.

"Okay then," I grinned. I thrust one hand backwards and started to tickle him under one of the arms. His grip loosened and I was able to turn myself over. "Tickle fight!"

"I'm going to bed…" Isabella announced. She waked into our bedroom and closed the door. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Perry slide off of the couch and waddle over to the bedroom door so that he could scratch on it until she let him in.

"Isabella, Perry's headed your way!" I called. Ferb reached under my left arm and tickled me back. "Hey, no fair!"

"What do you mean, no fair, you started it!" Ferb laughed.

"Only _I_ have the power to tickle!" I said, using a very fake French accent. Ferb rolled his eyes. He knew there was no way I could move him. I was pinned beneath his weight in the middle. He was sitting on my gut, holding my right forearm to the ground. His knees were both touching the ground beside my hips. He grasped my flailing left arm and pinned it down as well. "Okay, that's not fair."

"All's fair in love and war," Ferb stuck his tongue out.

"Dude, this isn't time for clichés," I laughed. He furrowed his brow and grinned. "Not surrendering."

"You honestly think you can do anything about this?" Ferb said smugly.

"I…well…"

"C'mon, admit defeat."

"I'm not defeated!"

"Are, too!"

"Fine, I've been defeated…" I mumbled. Ferb rolled off of me and punched me lightly in the arm. "We are such big children sometimes."

"You're telling me," Ferb shook his head in laughter. "But I do suppose that acting like a child is preferable to acting like a boring person, don't you think?"

"Yeah," I nodded. "You going home soon?"

"I should," Ferb sighed. He sat up and propped his back up against the couch. "Though I'll be back tomorrow morning. I wonder what they have to tell us that's so dire and also connected to Perry."

"It has to do with the dream," I said solemnly. Ferb gave me a frown that told me he wasn't enthused about it. "Don't you find it weird we had the same exact dream?"

"I do," he said slowly. "But it's a worrisome dream."

"Yes," I nodded. "That kingdom failing…the two kings promising that it will be avenged…those people being forced to flee as fugitives to God knows where…"

"Perhaps it means that something is about to happen," Ferb said quietly. "Something big. Something dangerous. Something important."

"But what?" I whispered.

"Indeed," Ferb murmured. "What indeed?"

My brother stood to his feet and looked down at me. I stood up as well and sighed. We walked to the front door in silence. I couldn't help but fear what the dream meant; if both Ferb and my mom knew about the dream, then there was no way it was simply a coincidence. Opening the door, I held it for a moment as my brother walked past me. He turned and looked me in the eyes.

"Until tomorrow," he said somberly.

"Yes, until tomorrow," I dipped my head. I placed one hand on his shoulder and smiled a little. "Whatever it is, Ferb- everything will be fine. At least we're in it together. As brothers."

"That is a reassurance that warms my heart," Ferb said, returning the smile. We shared one last embrace before he turned on his heel and headed off to his truck. I watched his car as it drove off towards the city. Sighing, I closed the door and looked towards my bedroom.

I headed over to it and quietly opened the door. Isabella was curled up in the sheets of the bed with Perry snuggling up against her side. Smiling at this, I headed into the bathroom and shut the door behind myself. Hopefully, a quick shower wouldn't wake her up.

The shower was quicker than usual. I tossed my clothes off, hopped into the hot water, and quickly scrubbed all of my body. I hadn't actually done anything dirty today, but I felt as if a layer of grime had been covering my skin. Once I was certain it was off, I rinsed down, rapidly washed my hair, and then hopped out to dry myself.

After I was dry, I pulled on some clean boxers and went over to the sink to brush my teeth. I picked up my toothbrush and examined the bristles. They were worn, looking a tad bit frayed and all spread apart.

"I hope I've got a new one of these…" I muttered. I pulled open the drawer beneath the sink to find an orange and white toothbrush sitting in an unopened package. "Ah, there we go."

I ripped open the package and pulled out the new brush. Setting down, I grabbed the paper garbage and the old toothbrush. Bending over, I dropped it in the trash. As I did, I noticed a box in the trash can that threw me off guard. I lifted it out of the garbage bin and read the box. My eyebrows immediately knit together nervously. I quickly opened the door to the bathroom and looked at Isabella.

Closing the door back, I leaned my back against the sink and pressed my left-hand fingers on the bridge of my nose. This couldn't actually be happening. I shut my eyes tight and tried to imagine this wasn't happening on top of the confusion my mom had caused. Tilting my head down, I looked at the floor. That's when I saw it.

The box dropped from my hand and onto the floor. I knelt down and rubbed my eyes a little, making sure I wasn't seeing anything. Reaching down, I slipped my fingers along the small device and lifted it up into my hands. It had been lying on its face, so that the back was all I could see. I swallowed hard.

Numerous thoughts ran through my head. What if my worst fears were confirmed? My hand was shaking just holding it. I slowly began to turn it over in my hand. My eyes ran down its length. I felt fear swell up in my chest. I stood back up and grabbed the edges of the sink.

This was _not_ happening…

* * *

**Still going...**


	4. Curious Behavior

**And three. That's all xD -AJ **

* * *

It took me a full ten minutes to recover from reading the pregnancy test. Yes, I know those things aren't always accurate, but when you're twenty-one, only been married for a year, and really don't feel ready to become a father, seeing it read positive really makes your heart stop.

I turned around, turned on the sink, and started to splash cold water on my face. I heard the doorknob to the bathroom turn and spun around quickly. In the process, I dropped the test on the floor. Isabella opened the door and frowned at me.

"Are you okay in here?" she asked me. Her eyes wandered to the sink, which was covered in water. "I thought you'd hit your head you hit something so hard."

"No, I…" I paused, picked up the test I'd just dropped, and held it up for her to see. "I just found this on the floor."

Her face instantly flushed red. I could already tell that this was going to be a bad conversation. She backed up a little and nervously twirled her hair. I didn't really know what to say. I didn't know what to do. So, I set the test down on the counter and walked silently into the bedroom. I dropped onto the bed and lay spread out. Isabella walked in and stared at me.

"Well…" I sighed. She came over and lay next to me.

"Well…what?" she asked quietly.

"Is that one-hundred percent true?" I turned my head so that I could look at her. She bit her lip. I frowned. "Please, just be honest with me, baby. I won't be mad at you."

"I was double-checking…" she said softly. I furrowed my brow a little. "Just before we left for Martinique, my doctor said that I was pregnant. I didn't believe him…but then the test came up positive…and then the nausea…"

"Nausea?" I blinked. I suddenly hated myself for not ever asking if she was feeling okay in the mornings. Not that I would have known she was feeling nausea in the mornings, but I still felt as if there was something I could have done to help.

"It's not anything severe," she said hurriedly.

"I hope not," I said. I sat up and leaned my back against the headboard. Isabella did the same. Frowning, I pulled her into my side and pressed one hand to her stomach. For a moment, I kind of felt pride pulling on my heartstrings. The ever-present fear of fatherhood, though, didn't leave my head. "Do…do you mind if I ask…how…"

"How what?" she blinked.

"How far along…are…you?" I stammered. We both looked at her belly and then back up at one another.

"Roughly two months," she said, smiling a little.

"When were you gonna tell me?" I asked, regretting asking the instant the words left my mouth. She shifted a little bit and pulled Perry into her lap. "I mean, not that I'm offended, but…it's…I don't know…"

"It was just…the way you…you reacted to the topic…" she said, looking down. She started to stroke Perry's spine. He emitted a soft chatter and rolled onto his side. "You acted like it was bad…like it wasn't something you wanted. Would you want to tell me something I didn't want to hear?"

"No," I admitted. I also reached down to pet Perry. "But…if it was going to change your life, I guess I'd tell you when I got the courage to."

"Mm," she nodded. She looked back to me and our eyes locked. I hated knowing that fear was consuming my very being when she was so obviously happy. She couldn't hide it. Just looking into her eyes made me feel guilty.

"I'm…sorry I made you feel that way," I told her, taking ahold of her chin and pulling her close to me. I pressed my lips to hers. "Forgive me?"

"Yes, of course," she smiled. She kissed me a second time. "I can't blame you for simply not feeling ready. It's not like this was-"

Before she could finish her statement, Perry leapt off of the bed and started zipping around in frantic circles. We both sat up, shocked at his sudden insanity and the fact that he was actually running. I hopped off of the bed and stooped to stop him, but he just avoided me and ran out of the room.

"What the heck spooked him so?" I frowned.

"How should I know?" Isabella shrugged. She crawled off of the bed and walked over to the doorway. "Perry, don't-!"

Crash! I ran out of the room to see that he'd knocked over a few dining room chairs. The dazed platypus stood up and spun around dizzily, running into the wall and various pieces of furniture. Sighing, I walked over to him and scooped him up into my arms.

"You okay, buddy?" I asked him. He groaned a little and started to fidget uncomfortably. "Perry, what's the matter with you?"

"That was really out of character," Isabella said, coming up beside me and gently stroking Perry's head. I passed him to her. She pressed him tight to her chest and sat down on the couch with him. "You okay, baby?"

I couldn't help but note the maternal mood she was in. I sat down beside her and watched her run her fingers through Perry's fur until he fell asleep. She held him much like one would hold an infant; one arm supported his back while the other was wrapped around his side, tucking him close to her chest. He was snoring lightly. It was as if he'd never gotten excited at all.

"I wonder," I hummed. "Does this have anything to do with what my mom was concerned about?"  
"Speaking of which," Isabella said, blowing past my question. "You never mentioned that you were having a recurring dream."

"Recurring nightmare, more like," I said, letting out some air through my teeth.

"Wanna talk about it?" she asked me.

"How?" I frowned.

"Describe the dream to me," she said, tucking her feet up under herself and situating Perry so that he wouldn't wake up. "Tell me what it was."

"Well, it always starts out in the middle of a battlefield," I sighed, running my fingers through my ginger hair. "Two kings are upset; they're losing a battle versus an enemy unlike any they've ever faced before. One king decides to evacuate the nation. He sends all of the citizens that he can out of the nation through a portal to some far away land.

"Not everyone gets out, though. The two queens do, the princes and princesses do, and many of the citizens do. But most of the soldiers were left behind with the two kings. Some women and children were cut off from the portal. The enemy eventually defeats the army, taking captive most and killing the rest.

"The dream always ends with the enemy leader having two of his best men press their swords to the necks of the two kings and requesting their very last words. One king then swears that his heirs will return from the other world and the nation will be avenged."

Isabella remained silent. The same thoughts that I had were probably rushing through her head. It seemed of little significance to reality. Magic and portals were things of myths and legends. Perhaps this had to do with some interesting family history. The fact that Ferb had dreamt the same dream was concerning to me. Perry snorted in his slumber, breaking my chain of thoughts.

"So…that's my…I mean, our…dream," I concluded.

"What does that have to do with us?" Isabella frowned. She looked down at the snoring platypus. "What does that have to do with Perry?"

"If I knew the answer to that, I wouldn't need my mom to tell me," I shrugged. She nodded in concession. I bit my lip and ran one finger down Perry's stomach. "Maybe we should call her?"

"That might be a good idea," Isabella agreed. I reached over and grabbed the telephone that was sitting on a side table next to our sofa. I dialed my parents' number and pressed the phone to my ear.

"Besides," I smiled lightly. "I guess we should break the news to them."

Isabella blushed a little as I rubbed her stomach gently. I had to do what I could to make her feel better about my clear expression of fear about becoming a father. A small smile grew on her lips. I hoped it made up for it in some way, shape, or form.

The receiver rang three times before I heard a click.

"Phineas, are you okay?" my mom's voice came through, worry evidently on her mind.

"Well, sort of," I told her. "I got a couple of things for you."

"You do?" she responded.

"Well…first of all…I just want to…to announce that your second grandchild is on the way," I said slowly. I waited for her to respond. What I heard was something close to a gleeful scream. "Mom!"

"Are you serious?!" she asked excitedly. "You're gonna be parents?!"

"Yes, Mom," I laughed a little. "Yes, we are."

"Oh, sweetie, I'm so proud of you two!" she squealed. I wasn't sure how to take that. "What else were you gonna tell me?"

"Ask you," I corrected. Her breath cut short a little. "A little while ago, we were sitting in the bed. For some reason, Perry completely freaked and started running around the house like he was terrified of something. Is that connected to what you were talking about earlier?"

"It might be," she told me gravely. "Keep an eye on him until we get there tomorrow, okay? I want to know everything unusual that happens, am I understood, Phineas?"

"Yes, Mom," I replied. She gave a quiet sigh of relief.

"It's all too early for this to be happening," Mom said quietly. I didn't respond. There was nothing I could think to say. After all, I didn't have a clue as to what was going on. She filled in the emptiness with another comment. "To be quite frank, it's too late for it to happen, too."

"What do you mean?" I frowned. Her words were like a cloud of despair tinged with the strong hope of daylight. I sensed a mixture of long-held pride alongside a deep and fathomless terror. Whatever she had to tell us, it was intensely important. I couldn't say why. I just had a feeling.

A small, unsure feeling.

The receiver clicked before I could tell her good-bye. I heard the familiar buzz of a line that had been cut off. I lowered the phone. This wasn't important. It was serious.

* * *

**Okay- that is all for today. **


	5. A New Dream

**New chapter! This idea is coming along better than I originally thought. -AJ **

* * *

_Elaina did not pass through the portal with just a ring._

_ As she and her sister-in-law were sent to the new dimension, words that her lover had told her rang in her ears. Someday, the descendants of Plutarus and of Aerion must return to Eden and destroy Legion. Eden must be avenged. _

_ When Elaina had asked when, Plutarus had given her a rather troublesome answer. He'd told her that a thousand years must pass before anyone should pass over the portal again. After the thousand years, when the descendants of Plutarus and Aerion were both males and roughly the same age, they were to receive mental keys that they must return and avenge Eden and their ancestors. _

_ This troubled Elaina much. She and Karina passed through the portal and found themselves in a frozen wasteland. The place was horrid. In comparison to Eden's lush paradise, this new world was a nightmare. The people of Dakara were hard-pressed to keep their queens and princes alive. They made it to a city called Vancouver. That was the last place the people of Eden were seen all together. Then came the diaspora. _

_ Elaina and Karina, along with Karina's young sons, eventually found a home in a strange nation called the United States of America. An elderly couple invited them into their home and cared for them. It wasn't much that they could do, though, as Elaina grew sick and her strength began to leave her. One night, she lay in bed with Karina by her side, holding her hand tightly and praying that she hang on to life for the sake of her unborn child. _

_ "What is the point?" Elaina whispered weakly. Karina pressed a cold, wet cloth to her sister-in-law's forehead. "Eden is lost…my husband is lost…"_

_ "We must hope for the future," Karina told her firmly. She smiled sadly at her sister queen and brushed her hair away from her sticky front. The sweat on Elaina's brow continued to build up with her fever. "The line must be passed on."_

_ "I will die before that happens…" Elaina shook her head miserably. _

_ "Do not think in that way!" Karina scolded her. "You must live long enough to pass on Plutarus' line. There must be two kings over Eden. That is our way. We must have two kings of Dark and Light energy to balance the ruling."_

_ "Sister-"_

_ "Shh," Karina put one finger to Elaina's lips. "You know this to be true. Eden cannot stand without her two kings. And she can never be retaken without two kings. They must unite their energies in order to open the portal. Plutarus made that clear in his instructions to us."_

_ "You put so much faith in something so uncertain," Elaina whispered. _

_ Her face suddenly melted away. Darkness flooded the room, and some thick, dark liquid began to fill up the room. For some reason, I was there. The liquid was approaching my knees slowly. I stooped down and ran my fingers through it. Pulling my hand up, I noticed that the liquid had a red tint to it. Blood. _

_ I stumbled back, flailing about in the pooling blood. My reflection could be seen in its agitated surface. I wore some kind of cloak over my body, and a hood was pulled over my brow. A sword hung limply at my side. The blood was up to my mid-thighs by now. I spun around, looking for an exit. There appeared to be none, but, then again, I couldn't see. The air surrounding me grew thinner and thinner. _

_ "Aerion!" I found myself calling out. _

_ "Search not for thy older brother here, Plutarus," a cold, echoing voice whispered in my ears. I drew my sword and thrust it forward to meet the invisible opponent. _

My eyes shot open, and, the next thing I knew, I was on the floor. Sharp pain shot through my head. Red flashed in my vision.

Something cold.

Something called.

I floundered around, searching for a blade that wasn't there. Hands grasped my forearms and pulled me into an upright position. My head swam with perceived drunkenness. Nothing I saw made any sense at all.

Sword! I needed a sword.

A voice calls my name, but it's distant. Wet and cold- I feel this on my brow. The room is dark. Something furry passes by my bare leg. Am I clothed? I can't feel clothing. The cloak is gone, as is the thick blood. I quickly pulled my hand away and pressed it to my thigh. Nothing is damp.

"The blood…the blood…" was all I could manage to utter.

"Phineas, calm down," I heard her voice say. Isabella pressed the damp cloth to my head again. I shut my eyes tightly and try to think. I'm not in a dark room full of blood. I'm in my own bedroom, with my wife. The fur I felt must have been…

"Gurururur…"

"Perry," I whispered. I lowered my left hand and stroked the platypus' back. He pressed his head to my leg and emitted what sounded like a soft purr. His tail thumped against the floor. I'm sure he was expressing slight happiness to know that I hadn't completely lost it.

"Are you…okay?" Isabella asked me, worry filling her voice.

"Y-yeah," I nodded. I opened my eyes and looked at her. She pulled the cloth away from my forehead and gently swept a few strands of my hair to the side. My forehead was beaded with sweat, and my hair was plastered across it. "What…did I fall?"

"More like flew," Isabella corrected me. I groaned and resituated myself, being careful not to upset Perry. "I woke up and saw you twisting and turning. You murmured something about Ferb, I touched your shoulder and told you he wasn't here, and then you kind of freaked out and leapt out of the bed. Headfirst."

"That explains the splitting headache," I murmured.

"You've got a nice, big knot on your forehead, too," Isabella said softly. She got closer to me and ran one finger over the spot I'd hit on my head. Her body rested up against mine. I wrapped my arm around her waist and pulled her closer. "You okay, baby?"

"The dream…it was so…so real…" I breathed. "At first it was just like the other…like a narrative…but then…then I was a part of it…"

"Wanna talk about it?" she asked me, leaning her head on my shoulder. Her soft hair fell around my arm. I kissed the top of her head and wrapped my other arm around her. I was sure she could feel my heart pounding in my chest. "Phineas?"

"Sorry, babe," I said. "It was just…the queens…of the two kings I mentioned. One was sick and losing hope. The other was telling her they needed hope more than ever. And then…the room melted away into darkness. I…I was in a dungeon, I think."

"Go on," Isabella pressured me, looking at me with a worried expression.

"Blood…gallons upon gallons of blood," I said, swallowing hard. Isabella placed one hand on my chest. "It was pouring into the room. It didn't stop. I called out for my brother…but I called him…some foreign name. And then…there was a voice…but it wasn't Ferb's…"

"Whose was it?" she frowned.

"I…I don't know," I shook my head. I furrowed my brow and looked up at the far wall. "But…whoever he was…whoever _it_ was…the voice was…was cold. So cold…like water from a long-frozen was being poured on my back."

"Th-then what happened?"

"Well, you saw the rest," I sighed. Isabella stood up and offered me a hand. I took it and stood up slowly beside her. Still much in need of her reassuring presence, I pulled her into a tight hug and kissed her on the cheek. "You wanting to get back to sleep?"

"Yeah," she nodded. She let go of me and crawled back under the covers. When she saw me still standing there, she cast me a sympathetic look. "Not ready to fall back asleep?"

"No," I said quietly.

"Oh, Phineas!"

"It's okay," I told her. She frowned and situated her pillow. "I just need some air, that's all. Once I've sorted everything out in my head, I'll come back to bed."

"Oh," she murmured. "Okay."

I blew her a kiss and walked out of the room. I pulled a coat out of the closet near our front door and went to stand outside on our porch. The cold winter wind nipped at my bare legs and feet, but I didn't care. Fresh air pooled into my lungs as I took a huge gulp of it. My head started to clear up.

The pitter-patter of feet alerted me of Perry's presence. I stooped down and picked him up. He chattered softly and rubbed his face all over my chest and arms. Smiling, I stroked his back. It was amazing to me to know that he cared so much, being a mindless pet.

"I'm okay, buddy," I told him. I pulled my fingers through his soft fur. "I'm just not feeling right."

"I noticed."

I frowned and looked around. The voice hadn't come from me, so where had it come from. No one seemed to be around me. I stepped forward and peeked around the edges of the house as far as I could without stepping into the snow.

"Did you hear that, Perry?" I asked. He fidgeted and growled a little.

"Hear what?"

My eyes shot down to the platypus. He closed his eyes and snuggled up to me. There was no way…

"Perry did you _say _something?" I blinked. The platypus stiffened up a little and twisted his body so that he could see my face. He seemed to consider this for a moment. "I must be losing my mind…you can't consider, you can't even comprehend, how on Earth could you talk to me?"

For a second, there was silence. Perry gurgled a little bit sleepily and settled back in my arms.

"Almost thought the kid knew something for a minute."

"It _was_ you!" I shouted. I flipped Perry around a little so that my arms were holding him up from under his front legs. He blinked at me. "Only…your mouth's not moving and words…it had to be…thoughts…did you just think about me…did you think I knew something…?"

For the first time in my life, I saw Perry _emote_. It was the most human thing I'd ever seen an animal do. His brow knit a little, his pupils contracted, one bottom eyelid slid upwards, and his bill curved slightly downwards. I saw in his face a mixture of sudden fear and a bit of guilt.

"You…heard…that?"

It was definitely coming from Perry. I didn't know what to say.

"Phineas?" Perry thought. "You okay, Phineas?"

"Yeah, I freaking heard that!" I shouted, still too much in shock to consider that I was yelling at a platypus at roughly two or earlier in the morning. Perry frowned and brought his head back a little. "Why am I hearing your thoughts?!"

"You expect _me_ to know the answer to that?" Perry retorted. "You think I want you listening to my private thoughts?"

"You're a platypus, what embarrassing thoughts have you got to hide?" I sighed.

"Can we _not_ go there?" Perry raised his brow a little and narrowed his eyes at me. "Humans are not the only ones with intimate thoughts, desires, and well-kept secrets, you know. I've got just as much a brain as you do."

"And now I'm curious about all three of those subjects," I huffed. Perry crossed his front legs much like a human would cross his or her arms. I groaned and took a few steps back. "Is this really happening or do I need more sleep?"

"I'm hoping for the latter," Perry griped. "But I'm pretty sure that since _I'm_ experiencing this, too, it's really happening."

"Oh, like you know what it's like to experience a realistic dream," I rolled my eyes.

"If you don't cut it with these rude comments, I'll make you experience some real pain right between the eyes," Perry threatened. I had to resist the urge to laugh.

"You?" I chuckled. "Fight me?"

"I'm well-practiced in mixed martial arts, don't try me," Perry warned. This time, I let myself laugh. "I'm not kidding, Phineas!"

"I'd like to see your fat butt just _try_ to perform any kind of martial arts," I said, setting him down on his back and poking his round stomach.

"My weight issues are purely your fault," Perry snorted. "I feel rather obligated to eat everything you set out in front of me. I wouldn't want to be rude."

"Admit it," I smirked. "You like it."

"Isabella cooks way better than you," he replied. I noticed his front legs were still crossed. I chuckled and rubbed his belly. "Mark my words; someday you'll look just like me if she keeps baking sweets."

"Come here," I laughed. I scooped him back up and headed inside. "I think we've been outside long enough, don't you?"

Perry nodded a little and simply hung limp in my arms. I closed the door behind me and locked it back up. The last thing I needed happening was some stranger waltzing into my house and stealing something or worse; hurting Isabella. I pulled off my coat, tossed it in the closet, and turned around to head off towards the bedroom with Perry in my arms.

"I'm not a baby, you know," Perry joked. "You don't have to hold me like one- unless, of course, you're practicing."

"Oh, you know?" I raised my eyebrows.

"I knew before she did," Perry rolled his eyes.

"Do I even want to know how?" I grimaced. Perry made a noise that sounded something like a laugh.

"We animals can smell anything from emotions to diseases," Perry returned smartly. I made a face to let him know that was just gross. "Hey, you don't have to like it. But I do know when you're in a…good mood with Isabella."

"Shut up," I narrowed my eyes at him. I turned the corner into the living room.

"BANANA-NANA-NOO!" someone screamed. He leapt out and smiled.

* * *

**And who would be in his living room at THAT time in the morning? I refuse to say at the moment. :P But they seem to like bananas.**


	6. Family Heirlooms

**Happy New Year! Update :) -AJ **

* * *

I shook my head at Buford Van Stomm. It was certainly a surprise to see him, especially at this hour in the morning. The six foot seven two hundred and seventy pound bully had, by happy miracle, been given a college scholarship to play football two states away. His presence in my living room told me the easy enough to believe truth that he had, more than likely, failed out of college like we'd all predicted. His brown hair was slightly messy and he was wearing casual cargo pants and his black tee shirt with the skull on it.

"How did you get in here?" I asked him. I set Perry down and waved him off towards the bedroom. He lazily made his way over there. I stood back up and crossed my arms at Buford.

"I found your spare key," Buford grinned. He shoved one hand into his pocket and brought it out with a silver key in his hand. I frowned and snatched the key away from him as he chuckled. "I would say it was Baljeet's idea, but come to think of it, blaming him just isn't as gratifying as seeing the look on your face."

"Baljeet has enough sense not to break into someone's house in the middle of the night," I rolled my eyes. Buford laughed hard and grabbed me close for a sideways embrace. "Buford are you drunk?"

"No, what would make you think that?" Buford raised his brow. "I was just laughing at your assumption. Baljeet, why don't you prove a man wrong?"

"This was _not_ at all my idea!" a muffled Indian accent came from the drapes covering the window. They shuddered and were pulled aside quickly to reveal my nerdy friend. His black hair had been grown out to the base of his ears since I'd last seen him. He was wearing jeans and a thick coat. "I told him that surprising you in the daytime would be a much better idea than scaring you at night."

"So…what are you guys doing here?" I asked.

"Well, I failed out of college," Buford sighed. No surprise there. "I came back to Danville to see if you and Ferb were still living around here. Picked up Baljeet on the way in- he's apparently using his vacation time to do the same exact thing."

"It is a short vacation time," Baljeet murmured. He walked over and joined the two. He was roughly the same height as me, but I was thinner. "I thought that it would be easier to take vacation after I got my doctorate, but that is clearly not the case."

"I see," I blinked. I still couldn't understand how Baljeet had managed to be a doctor at age twenty-one. He'd been through eight years of college while none of the rest of us had even been old enough to get through three- that is, on the social clock standard that you entered college at the age of eighteen.

"What are you up to tomorrow, Dinner Bell?" Buford elbowed me. I backed away from him to avoid getting jabbed in the ribs again. "Got some free time to hang with the Buford?"

"First thing's first," I told him. "I have to have a special-called family meeting tomorrow with my family. Perhaps after that I'll be able to have some free time if Isabella's okay with that."

"Oooh," Buford and Baljeet cooed together mockingly. I crossed my arms and narrowed my eyes at them.

"Cut it out!" I grumbled.

"Isabella, is it okay if I go out with the guys tomorrow?" Buford said, doing his best to mock my voice.

"Why of course, Phineas!" Baljeet chuckled. Okay…no. "Anything for my true love!"

"Do you guys wanna know what you sound like?" I said, trying my hardest not to laugh at them and let on that I wasn't angry with them for this. "Because it's certainly not me and Isabella."

"Phineas, do you really have to ask Isabella if you can come hang with us?" Buford frowned. I nodded and shut my eyes. I didn't want to see them rolling their eyes. "Something really changed in you when you and Isabella got together."

"How so?" I demanded. "I'm the same Phineas I've always been."

_Liar_, I told myself. _You haven't been acting yourself ever since Martinique. _

"You used to do things just to do them," Buford stated, crossing his arms back at me. "You built stuff for the fun of it. Now everything you do is for Isabella."

"You're a poor judge of my intentions," I said flatly. "I've spent a lifetime trying to impress Isabella. It just took her a while to catch on."

"Took you longer," Buford argued.

"That doesn't make any sense," I narrowed my eyes. I felt my temperature start to rise again. Maybe arguing after that dream wasn't such a good idea. I placed one hand to my forehead. "It…just doesn't…"

"Phineas, are you okay?" Baljeet stepped forward. "You look…disoriented."

"I'm _fine_," I said, rougher than I'd intended to be. My left-hand fingers started to tingle as if they'd fallen asleep. I wiggled them to try and wake them up. Nausea began to build up in my stomach. My vision blacked out, and the next thing I knew I was on the floor with Baljeet, Buford, Isabella, and Perry all staring at me with worried expressions. "What?"

"You just…fainted," Baljeet said quietly.

"Fell over like a sack of potatoes," Buford added. He waved his hand in a downwards motion. "Bam! Just like that."

"I ran in here to see if you were okay," Isabella told me. She pressed another cloth to my forehead. "I should have brought you a shirt…"

My vision faded again, but not completely. I tried to respond to her. The words stuck in my throat like glue. What was happening to me? I found myself gasping involuntarily. The world was spinning…spinning…

"Can you still hear me, Phineas?"

"…waffle…Perry…" I murmured. I knit my brow. That wasn't at all what I meant to say. I tried to sit up, but my muscles wouldn't allow it.

"I'll take that as a yes."

Someone grabbed me by the shoulders and pulled me into an upright position. My bare back hit the familiar fabric of our couch. The cloth was pressed to my forehead again. No one else, I assumed, could hear Perry's thoughts. I heard someone ask for the phone.

"Phineas, I'm calling your parents," I heard Isabella's voice tell me. "If this is at all connected to everything else, someone needs to find Ferb and fast. He was probably on the road about the same time you started having that nightmare…"

"What is going on?" Baljeet questioned.

"We're not sure yet," Isabella responded. I heard her dialing the phone. "Make sure Phineas is okay. If he blacks out completely again, I need to know."

I listened to her footsteps as she walked away. Perry shoved his bill into one of my hands. I wish I knew what that really meant. I'd always interpreted it as 'don't worry, I'm here.' I made a mental note to ask later. My vision cleared up. I was staring blankly at Baljeet.

"Hi," I said weakly.

"Are you okay?" he frowned.

"Yeah, I just…" I let air out through my teeth. I wasn't sure if telling them would be a problem or not. I reached over and pulled Perry up into my lap. "Strange things have been happening lately. I don't know what. But I will know tomorrow."

"Hello Perry," Baljeet smiled. He reached down and stroked Perry's head a few times. "I hope that you are okay. That was terrifying."

"Not nearly as much so as the dreams," I sighed. Isabella walked back in and crouched down next to me. I gave her a weak smile and reached up to stroke her silky hair. "Hey, beautiful."

"Hey," she said, returning the smile. "Your mom's headed right over."

"And…Ferb?" I blinked.

"Your dad's off to find him, don't worry," Isabella reassured me. She grasped me under the arms and pulled me up. I gave her a pathetic look. She laughed and walked me around to the other side of the couch to sit me down. Perry growled in distaste. "Oh, don't even."

"He says he really was comfortable on the floor," I chuckled, not thinking. I received three sets of equally flummoxed expressions. "What?"

"He _says_?" Buford asked. I nodded.

"I can hear him thinking!" I said, holding Perry up for emphasis. "Every little thing that's going through his head right now, I can hear it!"

A hand slipped over Isabella's mouth. Something in my gut told me that I was beginning to weird her out, and not in a good sense. I could see in her eyes that she feared for me; not just my physical being, but also for my sanity. I set Perry down and hurriedly pulled her closer to me.

"I swear I'm not crazy," I whispered to her.

"What's going on with you then?" she said in a small voice. I held her to my chest and placed one hand on the back of her head. "Phineas, you're scaring me…the dreams…the sword-fighting impulses…the fainting…and now you're thinking you can read the platypus' mind…you're…you're terrifying me…"

I had no good answer for that. We sat in embrace the whole while we waited for my mom to show up. She arrived faster than usual and with Candace on her heels. Ferb and Dad weren't too far behind. Once everyone was there, Mom set two rings on our coffee table. One ring was silver with an emerald embedded in it, and the other was gold with a ruby set in it. Both had engravings that were too small to read on the bands.

"What are these?" Ferb hummed. "Family heirlooms?"

"Yes, but much more than that," Mom said solemnly. "They're signet rings."

Ferb and I both drew in our breath. Signet rings meant that somewhere in both of our bloodlines, we were royalty. Only kings wore these.

"You're joking?" I looked up at my mom. She shook her head.

"It has been ten thousand years since these rings have been worn by kings," she started. I straightened up a little. "As your dreams have shown you, both of you are descended from peoples of an alternate world called Eden. Phineas, you are the ancestor of King Plutarus, wielder of Dark Energy, and Ferb, you are the ancestor of High King Aerion, wielder of Light Energy."

"So everything in the dreams is true, then?" I asked her. "The battle. The flight. The…execution."

"Your dreams are merely summaries of the dark fall of Eden," Dad told us. "When Legion came to overtake the land, both kings were unprepared for a full out war."

"They had never had opposition to their rule before," Mom added.

"Naturally, they had an army," Dad continued. "But Legion's army was greater and by far stronger. They fought for three long years. Eventually, it was Plutarus who demanded they surrender or flee. Aerion wouldn't have the kings of Eden surrender, nor did he enjoy the thought of flight. Plutarus eventually swayed him to evacuate as many people as was possible. Sadly, only the capital city of Dakara was emptied. Innocent people were left behind in Eden to die or be held captive under Legion's tight grasp."

"The kings sent their wives and children through the portals to this world along with the residents of Dakara," Mom frowned. "This way, their royal lines could continue on. Plutarus told his wife Elaina that after ten thousand years had passed; two boys would be born within a year of one another in his line and his brother's. They would have dreams of Eden's fall and inherit the abilities of the great kings."

"It was also told to her that the portals would reopen for these two heirs," Dad raised his brow. "He desired for her to pass this knowledge on to all descendants when they had their first child, so that the eventual heirs mentioned in his non-poetic prophecy could return to Eden and retake the kingdom from Legion."

"So wait, they just surrendered after they sent some of the people to safety?" Isabella tilted her head forward.

"Well, that's the assumption," Dad shrugged. "No one really knows what happened to everyone left in Eden."

"The assumption was that Legion simply took over," Mom said. "No communications have been across the borders of Eden and this world since the portal was opened to let the people of Dakara escape. Either the Edenic people are still fighting, or they have been conquered."

"And you're saying that _we_ have to go and save them?" I said. There was no lying- the thought greatly intrigued me. Even if I was just getting into a normal American adult life, I had always been one for adventure and excitement. "As in, Ferb and I?"

"That's the hope," Mom nodded. "You and your brother are meant to take up the positions of your ancestors and reclaim your thrones in Eden. Of course, this means rallying any Edenic descendants in this world and travelling to the portal to rage revolution in another dimension, but it's supposedly not an impossible task."

"Will satisfying this mission stop the madness in my head?" I asked her, pointing one finger to my temple.

"Yes," she nodded. "But you must understand it's a risk."

"How so?" Ferb crossed his arms.

"There are numerous dangers surrounding such a quest," Dad folded his fingers together. "It has been rumored that some of Legion's soldiers have found ways across the world borders and are searching for you to kill you. If you accept the quest, there is much that you will lose before you have anything whatsoever to gain. There are choices to make with extreme consequences. This choice now lies before you: will you or will you not accept your roles as the rightful heirs to the brother thrones of Eden and vow to regain or avenge your kingdom?"

"It's a duty," I said solemnly. "Do we have a choice?"

"You always have a choice," Mom told me. "Whether or not you perceive it that way is up to you, but you will always have a choice. Even when you don't think you have a choice, you do. Don't ever let anyone tell you otherwise."

"Tell me what I have to do," I said. My curiosity had gotten the best of me.

"Leave everything," Mom said, as if it were that simple. "Everything in your possession."

* * *

**Give up everything- is it worth it?**


End file.
